Laura Cleminson

Laura Cleminson is an artist, entrepreneur, and INELDA-trained death doula—or as she likes to say, a death sherpa—creating opportunities for people to navigate life’s final chapters with more creativity and comfort. A hospice volunteer and founder of the Pre-Dead Social Club, she believes we can do better at navigating “peaceful” final exits—often by forging new trails and tossing old maps. Through this growing social club, where participants work to keep the die-a-logue alive, she’s welcomed nearly 600 people in two short years through in-person programs and events.

In her talk Detours, Dead Ends & Deadlines, Laura will explore the crossroads we all share, including the toughest ones we don’t see coming—or the ones where we ignore the road signs and hope for the best. Laura will talk about the challenges in figuring out how far we can go on our original equipment, and discuss why planning for rest stops, scenic detours, off-ramps, and considering travel companions is vital.